East Stirlingshire v Stenhousemuir FC

Match Report

East Stirlingshire v Stenhousemuir at Ochilview Park, Stenhousemuir on 13.09.08

Scottish League Division Three Att 511

East Stirlingshire 0 Stenhousemuir 2 [Motion 45, 65]

The shortest away trip in Scottish football saw the Warriors pick up a valuable three points on their travels to Ochilview. For the neutral supporter not that there would be many of them there in a partisan crowd, the only notable difference for Stenhousemuir who used the home dressing room and dugout as the Shire prefer the away one , its bigger, was the fact that the Warriors wore the white and blue away strip.

The game started with promise for the Shire and they were the more threatening in attack as they tried to get the opening goal. They should have achieved this in the 7th minute of the game when Brian Graham who proved to be a handful in the early stages could only fire his shot from close range into the side net. Stenhousemuir responded through a John Ovenstone header from a Kevin Motion cross before Graham had the best chance of the game with Kieron Renton scrambling to get into position the forward once more shot into the netting. Jamie Barclay making his Shire debut on loan from Falkirk showed his capabilities in the 25th minute when he tipped a Motion free kick round the post. It would not be a derby match without some controversy and referee Frank McDermott suffered the wrath of the ‘home’ support when Dean Richardson shot past Renton only to see his effort cleared off the line by Ovenstone who appeared to prevent a goal by use of a hand though it may have just been chest. If the referee had awarded the penalty the Warriors would have been reduced to ten men and the Shire supporters felt that the number should have been nine following an earlier foul by Willie Lyle who was cautioned when a number felt should have received a different colour of card.

As the first half progressed the Warriors began to take control with the Shire sitting deeper and deeper and this gave the Stenhousemuir midfield the chance to take a stranglehold of that area. It was from a breakaway however that Stenhousemuir created their best chance though with Scott Dalziel striding forward from the halfway line before passing to Alan Brazil as he advanced into the box and though he appeared to be fouled managed to get a shot in that Barclay turned onto the post. Once again if the referee had gave the foul the culprit would have had to leave the park. In time added on the Warriors took the lead through a well executed goal with a Willie Lyle cross from the right picking out Stevie Ferguson who headed back into the path of Kevin Motion who hit a sweet volley into the net.

The second half saw the Shire come out eager to get the equaliser but they were unable to breech the Stenhousemuir defence and Kieron Renton was never called into action. The Shire resolve began to crumble and Stenhousemuir should have extended the lead through Andy Brand but with only the keeper to beat from close range shot wildly past. Motion showed him how it should be done in the 65th minute when he coolly dispatched a pass from Iain Thomson into the net giving Barclay no chance. For the rest of the game the Warriors dominated without creating the number of clear cut openings that they deserved but it was still a happy travelling support when the final whistle blew and Stenhousemuir had secured all three points